📚 Blog Post: "Why We Don’t Teach Creative Writing in K–5 — And What We Do Instead"

At Blue Horizons Knowledge Academy, we often hear the question: Why don't you offer creative writing in the early grades? The answer lies in our classical philosophy of education and the developmental needs of young learners.

We follow the thoughtful approach outlined by educator and historian Susan Wise Bauer, author of The Well-Trained Mind and creator of Writing With Ease. Bauer makes a compelling case for delaying formal creative writing instruction until students have first mastered the foundational skills that make writing possible: listening, thinking, remembering, and constructing grammatically correct sentences.

🎯 The Problem with Early Creative Writing

While it may seem harmless—even fun—to ask young children to “write a story,” this approach often overwhelms them. Imagine asking a child to invent characters, organize a plot, and write it all down before they have internalized what a strong sentence sounds like or how language is structured. The result is often frustration, poor grammar habits, and a misunderstanding of what good writing looks like.

Bauer explains that young children are still developing:

• Oral language fluency

• Working memory

• Fine motor control for writing

• Basic grammar and punctuation awareness

Expecting original composition during these stages asks them to juggle too many skills at once. Instead, she argues, children should first absorb and imitate excellent writing before trying to produce their own.

🧑‍🏫 Who Else Supports This Approach?

Susan Wise Bauer isn’t alone in her thinking. Several respected educators and researchers align with her philosophy:

• Charlotte Mason, a 19th-century educator whose methods still influence many homeschoolers and classical schools today, emphasized oral narration and copywork in the early years—reserving written composition for later grades.

• Ruth Beechick, Christian educator and curriculum writer, similarly argued for delaying composition until after reading and language patterns are well-established.

• The Core Knowledge Foundation (founded by E.D. Hirsch, Jr.) also promotes a knowledge-rich, language-first approach that builds verbal and written skills gradually, grounded in strong content.

Together, these educators challenge the modern push for “early creativity” and instead champion language development before composition.

😣 The Frustration with Early Writing in Public Schools

In many public schools, even the youngest students are asked to write opinion pieces, personal narratives, and explanatory texts long before they’ve mastered the basics of writing. Children are expected to produce full paragraphs—even stories—without having the necessary skills to support them.

To “encourage creativity,” students are often told, “Just spell it how it sounds—it doesn’t have to be right.” While this may reduce immediate frustration, it comes at a high long-term cost:

The more often a child writes a word incorrectly, the more deeply that incorrect spelling becomes wired into the brain.This makes future correction not only harder—but frustrating for everyone involved.

🧒 Students are overwhelmed because:

• They’re unsure how to spell even basic words and end up guessing.

• Their letter formation is slow and inconsistent.

• Their vocabulary can’t support the ideas they’re asked to express.

• They’re juggling spelling, mechanics, and structure all at once—without a solid base.

👩‍🏫 Teachers are frustrated because:

• They're correcting the same misspellings repeatedly.

• They’re required to teach composition without having time to teach how to write.

• Students don’t retain grammar or spelling rules because they’re not reinforced through correct practice.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parents are frustrated because:

• They see messy, misspelled, disorganized writing that doesn’t reflect their child’s potential.

• Their child dreads writing—and sometimes even reading.

• They worry their child is falling behind in essential skills.

Because the process feels ineffective and discouraging, writing is often minimized or replaced with test drills and worksheets—leaving foundational skills like spelling, penmanship, grammar, and vocabulary underdeveloped.

🧠 What About Kids Who Love Creative Writing?

We want to be clear: creative writing isn’t a bad thing. In fact, when a child chooses to write stories in their free time, it can be a wonderful and imaginative way to play with language—far better than passive screen time. We encourage children to write freely at home if they enjoy it, and we celebrate their efforts.

However, at Blue Horizons, we simply don’t teach creative writing formally in the early grades. Instead, we focus our classroom instruction on the foundational skills every writer needs. Once those skills are strong, students will be ready to bring their creativity to life with clarity and confidence.

🏛️ Our Solution: Train the Brain for Correct Writing

At Blue Horizons, we follow a classical approach that builds skills in the proper sequence. We don’t encourage invented spelling or premature composition. Instead, we teach children to:

• Write legibly and fluently through structured penmanship practice

• Spell correctly through explicit phonics and word study

• Learn grammar and sentence structure by copying excellent models

• Internalize language through listening, speaking, and thinking before writing

By teaching writing the right way—slowly, intentionally, and correctly—we not only spare children the frustration, we equip them for real success.

Writing Curriculum